Media Molecule Director: “It Takes Women Working on Games for Games to Change”

Siobhan Reddy says there is a need for women on “the game design and programming side”.

We’ve already documented many of the problems women face in the gaming industry, whether it’s in their depiction in games or the woeful ratio of male-to-female employees in many studios. Media Molecule studio director Siobhan Reddy spoke about the latter on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, stating that, “It’s shame that at the moment we have very few creative directors that are women.”

“We have a lot of women within the industry who run studios and pack a mean punch, the influence of women within the industry is pretty great, but we need to see that on the game design and programming side as well.

“It takes women working on games for games to change. I know there are all sort of discussions about where it is now and where it has been but I’m interested in where it’s going… particularly like the type of things we’re making at Media Molecule and lots of other studios are making, games which are for both genders and all ages.”

Reddy is currently working with BAFTA to help in spreading awareness and encouraging women to pursue careers in game development.

I can see what he’s saying and I don’t disagree with the sentiments expressed here. My only problem is that I think we shouldn’t dissect gender in this arbitrary way and should just think of people as either gifted or not, REGARDLESS of gender. Perhaps it needed to be said … I don’t know. I think it would be best served just to hire more females and not become an excuse for more sexist discussions, which this inevitably will.

John Ken

I kinda agree with you on the whole “You’re either talented or not” thing.
However, I don’t agree with her saying the industry “needs” women to change. Men have been running it for decades and innovating just fine, if women want to join in, by all means join, but don’t make it sound like women are “saving” games.

Like, take Amy Henning, she made an awesome series (Uncharted) and didn’t go “It’s great because a woman did it”
Overall, there are talented men and women and there are untalented men and women.Period.